Are there figures available on resources directed to smoking cessation and prevention, and their impact?
[Mr McFarland] A. We would like to see more resources invested in preventive measures, which would be a long-term health investment. We wish the awful statistic of 3000 smoking-related deaths per year here could exercise the minds of the entire population. Commitment needs to be given across all Departments, as this is clearly a cross-cutting issue. It is important to bear in mind, though, that it could be 15 to 20 years before we see the results of such measures. We understand also the competing pressures for limited resources, when currently some people are waiting 18 months here for a heart by-pass operation. We can provide the Committee with detail on the resources allocated for smoking prevention and cessation, but stress that they are never enough. There is evidence, though, that nicotine replacement therapy is beginning to work. There are also planning problems for those delivering preventive programmes insofar as they often do not know until in-year how much resources they are
